Snyder signs law restricting information about ballot issues

LANSING — Restrictions on when and how municipalities and school districts can inform voters about local ballot issues will go into effect immediately after Gov. Rick Snyder signed them into law Wednesday, saying the intent is to prohibit clear attempts to sway voters with mass communications.

The Republican, who had faced pressure from local leaders to veto the "gag order" bill, urged the GOP-controlled Legislature to quickly pass legislation clarifying "confusion" over the law, such as the expression of personal views by public officials is not affected, nor is the use of government facilities for debates or town halls on ballot questions.

The new law, which was quickly approved along party lines in December, prohibits public money or resources from being used to disseminate information about local ballot measures through TV and radio ads, mass mailings or robocalls in the 60 days before an election.

"As I interpret this language, it is intended to prohibit communications that are plain attempts to influence voters without using words like 'vote for' or 'support,'" Snyder wrote to legislators. "With this clarified prohibition, there remain many other mechanisms, including private entities, associations, and political action committees to encourage support or opposition to a ballot proposal that do not rely on public resources."

He added that local governments and schools should still be allowed to distribute "basic information about an election including the proposed or final ballot language and the date of the election."

Local officials said the law will keep voters in the dark about taxes and other important issues, because they will receive fewer education materials. Some Republicans who voted for the legislation have said they did not realize its ramifications.

Michigan Townships Association Executive Director Larry Merrill said lawmakers should "reflect on the imperative of an informed citizenry for local democracy to work and immediately amend this over-reaction to a very limited number of abuses."

Conservative groups that backed the law said some informational campaigns are biased, and public entities have learned how to promote their cause without explicitly doing so.

Michigan Freedom Fund President Terri Reid said "taxpayers can rest a little easier today knowing government bureaucrats and lobbyists won't be spending their tax dollars to bankroll political campaigns or push for local tax hikes."